Monday, June 14, 2010

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (06-14-10)

GARY COLEMAN CRAZINESS

NOW THERE'S A *THIRD* GARY COLEMAN WILL IN PLAY:

At this rate, BP might cap that oil leak before we discover all of GARY COLEMAN'S wills. --A THIRD will has surfaced. And this one doesn't give anything to SHANNON PRICE or Dion Mial . . . that guy who was named the executor of Gary's estate in his 1999 will. --With Gary's third will, we also have a third beneficiary to talk about. Her name is ANNA GRAY. She was a close friend of Gary's whom he met in 1999. And in this new will, which was written in 2005, Gary leaves her EVERYTHING. --Gary and Anna were so close that they actually lived together for several years in Los Angeles . . . but as FRIENDS, and in separate bedrooms. Gary eventually made her CEO of his corporation. --When Gary met Shannon and moved to Utah to be with her in 2005, Anna went, too. But that didn't last. -Gary's agent says that Shannon was jealous of Anna, and Gary eventually asked Anna to leave. (--There's no word if their friendship continued after that.) --The will was written before Gary and Shannon married, and leaves her nothing. --It also stipulates that if Gary should outlive Anna, his model train collection would go to three different train shops in California. (--Gary was HUGE into model trains, FYI.)(--You can read the will here . . .)http://www.etonline.com/documents/pdf_garycoleman_061110_etonline.pdf

CHECK OUT SOME CLIPS FROM A REALITY SHOW PILOT GARY COLEMAN SHOT IN 2008:

ADAM CAROLLA has a theory as to why JENNIFER ANISTON keeps on serial-dating without settling down: She's got too much testosterone. And the evidence that supposedly backs up his theory is Jennifer's SQUARE JAW. --He says, quote, "I think she probably has a lot of testosterone and probably thinks like a man. --"There are certain women out there, they say you can tell from the jaw line . . . they did some study that women who have sharp jaw lines . . . it's a masculine feature. --"The point is, maybe she has a little too much testosterone and maybe she is a female version of one of these guys who bangs his way through Hollywood. Like a female Gerard Butler." (--Ironically . . . or probably not . . . Gerard Butler is one of the many guys Jennifer has allegedly nailed over the past few years.)

BAM MARGERA GOT LAID OUT BY A WOMAN WITH A BASEBALL BAT:

This sounds insane, but there are pictures to prove it: BAM MARGERA got LAID OUT Saturday morning by a woman with a baseball bat. --Bam is, of course, one of the jackasses from MTV's "Jackass" . . . as well as his own spin-off show, "Viva La Bam". --He also owns a bar called The Note in West Chester, Pennsylvania . . . (--Which is right outside Philadelphia) . . . and that's where he was attacked. --We don't have all the details yet, but here's what we do know: There was a fight outside the bar at about 2:00 A.M. Saturday morning, and it ended when the unidentified, 59-year-old woman whacked Bam in the back of the head. --She was arrested and charged with assault. Bam was admitted to the intensive care unit of a local hospital, but he couldn't have been too badly hurt, because he was released late Saturday afternoon. (--It's not clear if she hit him more than once, but she really did a number on him. Since she got him in the back of the head, we're assuming it was a Pearl Harbor attack. .)

JANUARY JONES FROM "MAD MEN" CRASHED INTO TWO PARKED CARS WITH HER RANGE ROVER:

JANUARY JONES . . . who plays Betty Draper on "Mad Men" . . . crashed into two parked cars with her Range Rover in Los Angeles on Thursday night. --And while some websites tried to make it into a huge deal, it sounds like it was just a simple and relatively minor accident. --TMZ was actually reporting it as a HIT AND RUN. The claimed that January left the scene on foot, saying, quote, "I can't deal with this commotion" . . . before returning a few minutes later. --But her people released a statement saying January wrecked while being chased by the paparazzi . . . and she did NOT flee the scene. She walked back to her nearby home to call police. And she even left her license with a witness before doing so. --The police are backing her up. They said, quote, "No crime occurred here. If this was a hit-and-run, Ms. Jones would have been arrested. She was being followed by paparazzi and hit two parked cars. --"She wasn't under the influence of anything. No one got hurt. That's pretty much it. There is no investigation." --Of course, TMZ has a whole conspiracy theory laid out. --They say January didn't need to go back to her house to call 911, because she had a cell phone with her. And she used it right there at the scene to call BOBBY FLAY . . . one of those celebrity chefs from the Food Network. --Apparently, January, Bobby and some other people had been watching the NBA Finals at a hotel bar. They didn't really know each other, but Bobby had just given January his number, because she wanted him to help her redo her kitchen. --Anyway, she called Bobby for help, and he came. Meanwhile, a woman whose car January hit came out of her house . . . and she claims she smelled alcohol on January's breath. --January left her license with someone and went back to her own house. When she returned, she was wearing different clothes and she was CHEWING GUM.(--Whatever. If she was smashed, the cops would have known it, and would have made her walk a straight line. It all sounds very uneventful. It doesn't even look like the accident itself was that bad.)(--Here are two photo galleries of the damages . . .)http://photos.tmz.com/galleries/january_jones_car_crash#tab=most_recenthttp://photos.tmz.com/galleries/the_crash_scene#tab=most_recent

DID JODIE FOSTER ATTACK A 17-YEAR-OLD KID FOR TAKING HER PICTURE???

JODIE FOSTER is being accused of ASSAULTING a 17-year-old boy who took her picture at the Grove Mall in Los Angeles last month. --According to a complaint filed by the boy, he was taking pictures of Jodie and her two kids as they were walking through the parking lot to the valet area. --When Jodie noticed him, she, quote, "followed him, poked him on his chest, grabbed him by his left arm causing visible injury." --The boy's father tells RadarOnline.com, quote, "Jodie pushed and shoved him, leaving scratches and bruises on his arm." --But Jodie claims this was no innocent child . . . he was PAPARAZZI. --Her rep says, quote, "The young man was most definitely a professional paparazzo. He had a large camera bag and a 1000mm telephoto lens. --"He tailed Jodie and her young sons from the movie theater to valet parking. He crowded her and her children and took photos of them the whole time." --Jodie's rep says the boy scared Jodie's kids, so she, quote, "touched him on the elbow in an attempt to take him aside to talk to him and tell him to stop." --Police are investigating, but charges are unlikely, since this is basically a he-said, she-said situation. --As for Jodie's claim that the kid was a pro, his dad says, quote, "That's ridiculous! He's not a paparazzo! He's just a kid who happens to have a nice camera. --"He went over to her to get an autograph and took a picture. She's the one who approached him and attacked him at the valet. If she's trying to deny touching him, she's wrong." --He also claims that he called the Grove Mall after the incident and asked them if they had surveillance footage of the incident. They told him they did. --But later, when detectives tried to get that footage from them, it had, quote, "mysteriously disappeared."

ARE SCARLETT JOHANSSON AND RYAN REYNOLDS ADOPTING???

The not-always-reliable "Star" tabloid claims that SCARLETT JOHANSSON and RYAN REYNOLDS are in the process of adopting a child from Africa. --There was a report going around last month that Scarlett's mother had adopted a baby from Ethiopia. And that is allegedly one of the countries Scarlett and Ryan may adopt from, too. (--We'll keep you posted. Frankly, I sense a denial coming on this one.)

BP IS GOING TO USE KEVIN COSTNER'S CENTRIFUGES!!!

KEVIN COSTNER will indeed be doing his part to help clean up the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. --BP has ordered 32 of those centrifugal devices Costner is hyping to separate oil from seawater. (--Kevin's brother helped develop the technology, and Kevin has invested $25 million in over the past two decades to move the process along.) --John Houghtaling is a partner in Kevin's company, Ocean Therapy Solutions. He says, quote, "In a matter of weeks, we can be manufacturing 10 of these a week. So we're hoping by the first of August to have all 32 of these things in the Gulf." --The machines cost $500,000 each to build. --Costner went before the House Energy and Environment subcommittee last week to offer his thoughts on the Gulf cleanup effort. (--If you're all into science, you might appreciate this video, which shows exactly what these machines do and how they do it . . .)http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1520929307?bctid=90936094001

DOES JOE JACKSON BLAME HIS WIFE FOR MICHAEL'S DEATH???

It sounds like MICHAEL JACKSON'S parents aren't exactly helping each other get over Michael's death. In fact, Michael's dad, JOE JACKSON, actually BLAMES his wife KATHERINE for it. --He tells Britain's "News of the World" tabloid that his anger came to a head when he and Katherine saw Michael on the slab at the mortuary. --He says, quote, "Katherine was weeping uncontrollably and highly upset. But I didn't give her a hug because I was MAD at her crying. --"I said, 'If you had listened to me Michael would be living now!' I kept thinking about the times I had stood in front of her saying something was wrong. --"I couldn't bottle up my feelings. Katherine didn't say a word . . . I had to get away from her. If she'd done what I asked, Michael would be here today. I am incensed with her. She could have made a difference." --Joe says that Katherine should have forced herself into Michael's life more . . . but instead she stayed away because she didn't want to bother him . . . quote, "Mothers are always the [person] their sons look up to. --"I wanted her to step in and look at Mike a bit, keep him cheered up. She didn't want to do that because she was afraid that she was invading his privacy." --He adds, quote, "In Michael's final months alive I said to her many times that I couldn't get through to him . . . and that she needed to help her son. --"I had begged her to go over and stay with him, but she insisted he needed his privacy and gave him the slack she thought he needed. A child will listen to his mother more than his father, and Michael was a mommy's boy. He listened to her." --Joe also says that Michael's two older children, Prince and Paris, met their biological mother, DEBBIE ROWE, earlier this year. --He says, quote, "Debbie came over with some presents and talked with the kids. They knew that she was their mother, but didn't make a big fuss. -"It was all done in about 10 minutes, but it was a good meeting. Whatever has been said, nobody has stopped Debbie from seeing the children. Katherine and she have a good relationship." (--Here's some video of Joe running his mouth . . .)http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/video/?videoId=2160_846165&videoChannel=NOTW:News--Katherine's attorney isn't cool with this. He says, quote, "The world knows that Mrs. Jackson has always been a loving mother and grandmother, and that she and Michael had a very special relationship. --"The world also knows who Joe Jackson is and he seems bent on never letting us forget."

"THE KARATE KID" SLAUGHTERED "THE A-TEAM":

"The Karate Kid" dominated the box office battle of '80s remakes, pulling in $56 million in its first weekend. That's more than TWICE what "The A-Team" made. It came in second with $26 million. Here are the Top 10 movies in the country . . .

You "Twilight" fans who are on Team Edward might be surprised to learn that ROBERT PATTINSON is nowhere near as into "Twilight" as you are. In fact, on Saturday he said, quote, "I just saw 'Twilight' on TV for the first time."

MAURA TIERNEY HAS JOINED ABC'S "THE WHOLE TRUTH":

Former "ER" minx MAURA TIERNEY has been added to the cast of ABC's upcoming legal drama, "The Whole Truth" . . . in which cases will be shown from the perspectives of both the prosecution and the defense, equally. --The show . . . which will debut in September . . . also stars former "Numb3rs" stud ROB MORROW. --Maura will be taking the place of JOELY RICHARDSON . . . from "Nip/Tuck" . . . who dropped out last month so she could spend more time with her family. The character is "a deputy bureau chief in the Manhattan D.A.'s office." --Last year, Maura was forced to give up a role on NBC's "Parenthood" after she was diagnosed with breast cancer. (--Her part went to LAUREN GRAHAM.) Her cancer is now in remission. (--Maura is also returning to her recurring role on "Rescue Me", but not until the show's SEVENTH season, which will air sometime NEXT year. Season Six premieres on June 29th.)

--"Warren the Ape" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 10:30 to 11:00 P.M. on MTV. (--The puppet Warren the Ape from "Greg the Bunny" plays a D-list celebrity puppet attempting to clean up his act, with the help of Dr. Drew Pinsky.)

A "FAN" ATTACKED SLASH WHILE HE WAS PERFORMING IN MILAN:

SLASH was performing in Milan, Italy, last Thursday night . . . when some lunatic stormed onto the stage and attempted to TACKLE him from behind. --The guy rushed the stage in the middle of "Sweet Child O' Mine" . . . and tried to take Slash down. Slash fell to his knees, while the idiot fell into the crowd. --Slash kept on playing . . . although someone had to hand him a new guitar . . . and the show went on!(--Here's the video. The chaos begins at the 1:15 mark.)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_XfY2RT6WU--Ironically, before the show, Slash posted a Facebook message saying, quote, "Getting ready to hit the stage in Milan. From the sound of it this is one rowdy crowd. Should be intense!" --Then, afterwards, he posted the following update: Quote, "What'd I say? Rowdy crowd for sure. But amazing! The guy who nailed me didn't take me down but he busted my poor [guitar]. Ah well, it was a kick ass rock [show]." --And Slash's wife, Perla, added, quote, "The Milan security did nothing! Kicked him out, but didn't arrest him. I love Italy! But (eff) those security [and] promoters for doing nothing! They're there to protect the people [and] the artists. It's not right."

"ROCK BAND 3" WILL INCLUDE A KEYBOARD . . . AND A "PRO" MODE:

Some details about the upcoming "Rock Band 3" game . . . which will be out sometime before Christmas . . . have been released. Here's a quick rundown of what you need to know: --The game will feature a new instrument: A keyboard. It'll be a 25-key controller, which basically looks like a real keyboard. You can play it while standing or sitting. (--You can see how it'll work in this video . . .)http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid30317506001?bctid=90946364001--The other big new feature is the "Rock Band Pro" mode . . . which attempts to make the game-play experience more like playing ACTUAL instruments. Naturally, this also makes the game HARDER. --In this mode, the color-based stream of "notes" is replaced with "more realistic musical notations" . . . and you have the option of PURCHASING and plugging in new versions of the instruments. (--There's no word on prices yet.) --There's a six-string guitar . . . (--a Squier Stratocaster from Fender) . . . without buttons, and another six-"string" guitar controller, with buttons on each fret. And you can also buy a new drum kit that comes with three cymbals. --Like THE BEATLES' and GREEN DAY'S "Rock Band" games, "Rock Band 3" will support two back-up singers. So with the keyboard, that means SEVEN people can now play simultaneously. (--Which would make for a lot of band members . . .)

ROBERT PLANT'S BAND OF JOY ALBUM HAS A RELEASE DATE:

ROBERT PLANT'S latest NON-LED ZEPPELIN venture, THE BAND OF JOY, will release their debut, self-titled album on September 14th. --The band also includes singer Patty Griffin, multi-instrumentalist Darrell Scott, guitarist Buddy Miller, drummer Marco Giovino and bassist Byron House. --"The Band of Joy" was the name of the group Plant and drummer JOHN BONHAM were in before they both joined Zeppelin. (--It's still not clear why Plant is using the "Band of Joy" name . . . (--None of the musicians he's working with were in the original band.)

JIMMY DEAN HAS DIED:

Country music legend and breakfast sausage guru JIMMY DEAN has passed away. He died last night at his home in Henrico County, Virginia, outside Richmond. --He was 81, and had some health problems, but his death was kind of a surprise. We're not sure of the exact details just yet, but it looks like he died of natural causes. --A lot of people think of Jimmy Dean as 'the breakfast sausage guy,' since he launched the incredibly successful Jimmy Dean Sausage Company in 1969. He sold the company to Sara Lee in 1984, but stayed involved, and was the brand's spokesman. --You probably remember those classic Jimmy Dean commercials, where he said stuff like, "Sausage is a great deal like life: You get out of it what you put into it . . . taste that country goodness." --But before that he was known as the guy behind "Big Bad John", the song about a coal miner who saves his buddies when the roof of their mine collapses. It was a big hit in 1961, and Jimmy won a Grammy for it. --That led to his nationally televised series "The Jimmy Dean Show", on CBS and ABC in the '60s, and headlining gigs in New York, L.A., and Vegas, which was rare for a country star at the time. (--And let's not forget his part in the 1971 Sean Connery Bond flick "Diamonds Are Forever", as a Vegas billionaire who helps Bond defeat SPECTRE . . .)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbwDGtj84YY--He was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in February, and was scheduled to be inducted in October.

NAZZY’S RANDOM STUFF

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE A MAN TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT HE WANTS TO HAVE SEX WITH A WOMAN?

Now there's scientific proof that when a man meets a woman, the first and only thought on his mind is, "May I please have sex right now?" --A group of researchers at the University of Amsterdam monitored men's brain activity as they viewed photos of different women. Some of the women were attractive, and some most definitely were NOT. --And the researchers found that it only takes MILLISECONDS for a guy to decide whether or not he wants to have sex with the woman in front of him. (--Whether . . . or NOT? The answer sometimes is "no"?) --Mark van Vugt is a professor at the University of Amsterdam and he led the study. He says even though men's judgments SOUND superficial, they're actually not. --Men aren't judging just on basic attractiveness . . . they're channeling a biological instinct to find the most FERTILE and genetically-fit women. --The researchers found that women actually take LONGER to decide whether or not they want to have sex with a guy . . . and actually factor in things like personality and career prospects. --In both cases, it's all traceable to basic biology. Men just want a woman who will produce the strongest and healthiest genetic offspring. Women want that too, but they also look for someone to protect and provide for the family. (Metro.co.uk)

YET ANOTHER STUDY SHOWS HOW DANGEROUS IT IS TO USE A CELL PHONE WHILE YOU'RE DRIVING:

At this point, we all know how dangerous it is to use our cell phones while we're driving. But since 81% of us totally IGNORE all that and still talk while we're driving . . . here are even MORE stats about why it's the most dangerous thing we all do. --According to Dr. Amy Ship . . . who works as a physician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston . . . 28% of all car accidents in the U.S. are caused by someone using a cell phone while driving. --And talking on a cell phone while driving is 400% riskier than driving undistracted. -Ship also says that talking on a cell phone in the car is about as dangerous as driving while you're drunk or drugged up. (AOL Health)

A ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISE EMPLOYEE HELPED 24 FAMILIES PLAN VACATIONS . . . THEN ROBBED THEM WHILE THEY WERE AT SEA:

38-year-old Bethsaida Sandoval of Miami, Florida, was a vacation planner for Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. She'd help couples and families plan the cruise of their dreams. --WELL, it turns out . . . if those families lived close to her, while they were on that cruise of their dreams, Sandoval and her husband would ROB THEM BLIND. --According to the police in Palm Beach County, Florida, Sandoval and her husband, a guy named John Lopez, robbed 24 families . . . using their home addresses and cruise itineraries, which Sandoval copied down at work. --The police started putting things together when they looked for connections between the string of burglaries . . . and realized that every single home had been broken into while the family was on a Royal Caribbean cruise. --Sandoval was arrested and charged with 24 counts of burglary. Lopez was already locked up for a DIFFERENT string of burglaries . . . but he's going to be charged for these ones too. --And, naturally, Royal Caribbean fired Sandoval. A spokeswoman says they're doing everything they can to help out the Palm Beach County Sherriff's Office, and they've formally apologized to all of the customers who were affected. (CNN)

AN ATTORNEY IN MIAMI FOUND OUT THAT SHE CAN'T GO BRALESS WHEN SHE VISITS HER CLIENT IN JAIL:

32-year-old Brittney Horstman is an attorney in Miami, Florida. Last week, she went to the Miami Federal Detention Center to have a meeting with a client who was locked up there. -When she passed through the metal detector, it went off. She figured out that it was because of her underwire bra . . . but the guards still wouldn't let her through. --So she went into a bathroom, took off her bra, put back on her blouse and jacket, and went back over to the guards. But they stopped her again . . . this time, because she was violating the prison guest dress code that REQUIRES A BRA. --Brittney ended up having to leave without meeting with her client. --Now that this is making news, a spokesman from the Miami Federal Detention Center says it was a mistake and it won't happen again. --Female attorneys ARE allowed to enter with underwire bras . . . the guards just have to use a handheld metal detector to be sure that the bra is what's setting off the detector. The guards who stopped Brittney didn't know that policy. (Miami Herald)

THE AVERAGE COST OF RAISING A CHILD FOR 17 YEARS IS $222,360:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture just put out its annual report on the average cost of raising a child over 17 years . . . and found that, if you had a kid in 2009, raising him is going to cost you more than buying one Ferrari . . . or 22 Hyundais. --The average cost to raise a child for 17 years is now $222,360, up almost 1% from 2008. Here's how that QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS is divided . . .

--31% on housing.--17% on child care and education.--16% on food.--13% on transportation.--9% on miscellaneous costs.--8% on health care.--6% on clothing.--Raising a child is about 15% more expensive now than it was in 1960, adjusted for inflation. The main reasons are huge increases in the cost of health care, child care, and education. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

We hate to sound like terrible local news anchors here, but this works for them, so we're going to steal it: Something in your house might be POISOING YOUR CHILDREN. --But . . . unlike the local news, we're not going to make you sit around through 21 minutes of garbage and filler to find out what the SILENT KILLER is. It's fruit drinks and snacks. You're welcome. --According to a study by a nonprofit group called the Environmental Law Foundation, more than 85% of the fruit drinks and snacks they tested contained lead. --The state of California has some of the strictest laws about chemicals in food. In California, the "safe" threshold for lead is half of a microgram per day. --More than 85% of the products tested in this study had at least one sample containing MORE lead than that. --Now . . . before you PANIC, remember that not every sample of every product was high in lead. So if your kid's eating one serving of a "dangerous" fruit cocktail every day, he probably won't be poisoned. --But you should stay informed on which products do contain lead . . . so you can make sure your kid isn't taking down TONS on a daily basis. (Environmental Law Foundation) (--Check out all of the products tested here . . .) http://www.envirolaw.org/documents/ProductsTestedforLeadFINAL.pdf

CHECK OUT 52 AMERICAN CITIES RANKED FROM SMARTEST TO DUMBEST:

Now it's time to feel better about ourselves by calling other people dumb! An economist named Rob Pitingolo put together this list of the 52 largest cities in the U.S., ranking them from SMARTEST to DUMBEST. --It's not a perfect list . . . he didn't go around and actually give I.Q. tests to people in these cities . . . it's entirely based on the number of people with college degrees per square mile in each of the cities. --The smartest city turned out to be San Francisco, with 7,031 bachelor degrees and graduate degrees per square mile. --The rest of the top 10 smartest cities are: New York City . . . Boston . . . Washington, D.C. . . . Seattle . . . Chicago . . . Minneapolis . . . Providence, Rhode Island . . . Philadelphia . . . and Miami. --And the "winner" for dumbest city is . . . Oklahoma City, with 159 degrees per square mile.--The rest of the bottom 10 are: Jacksonville, Florida . . . Birmingham, Alabama . . . Louisville, Kentucky . . . Nashville, Tennessee . . . New Orleans . . . Kansas City, Missouri . . . Memphis . . . Virginia Beach . . . and Indianapolis. (Extraordinary Observations)

WORRIED ABOUT GETTING STUNG BY A JELLYFISH? TRY SWIMMING WITH PANTYHOSE ON:

This is strange . . . but probably a pretty useful trick if you're going swimming in a place that's known for jellyfish. If you want to avoid getting stung, try putting on PANTYHOSE. --Most jellyfish have very short stingers that can't even get through the mesh of the pantyhose. And ones with longer stingers usually don't sting unless they're triggered by contact with skin . . . and the pantyhose prevent that too. (Lifehacker)

YOU'RE HAPPIER WHEN YOU'RE PLANNING A VACATION THAN ON THE VACATION ITSELF:

This is kind of a depressing way to look at vacations, but sadly, it's the truth. It turns out we like PLANNING a vacation more than actually GOING on the vacation itself. And we like both of those WAY more than coming home from a vacation. --A study in a journal called "Applied Research in Quality of Life" found that people's happiness peaks EIGHT WEEKS BEFORE a vacation . . . right around when you make the decision to go and start doing some real planning. --On the vacation, you're pretty happy . . . just a little bit less happy than you were during the planning and anticipation stage. --And when you get home . . . happiness-wise, you're right back to where you were before you started planning the vacation. Even if it was a great vacation, there usually won't be any lingering happiness once work starts crushing your soul again. --Jeroen Nawijn is the author of this study. And he says you can use this information to maximize your happiness by strategically planning lots of little vacations. --Quote, "Instead of taking one two-week [vacation], take two one-week [ones], spaced well apart." That way, you'll double up on the happiness that comes from anticipation and planning. (Los Angeles Times)

THE WORLD CUP COMMITTEE IS STRONGLY CONSIDERING BANNING THOSE ANNOYING BUZZING HORNS:

If you watched any of the World Cup this weekend, it was IMPOSSIBLE to miss the nonstop BUZZING in the stadium. It sounded like South Africa was suffering from the worst killer bee infestation of all time. --Well, the buzzing is caused by fans blowing on a three-foot-long plastic trumpet called a vuvuzela (--it's pronounced voo-voo-ZELL-ah). --They make a sound that's 130 decibels . . . which is 10 higher than the human pain threshold. And they're an African soccer tradition. --Unfortunately, they're COMPLETELY overshadowing the rest of the World Cup. --The TV broadcast partners hate them. The half-a-million soccer fans who are visiting from other continents hate them. --And the players hate them SO much, some of them are blaming the vuvuzelas for all the LOW-SCORING GAMES this weekend. --Patrice Evra is the captain of the French World Cup team, and he says the noise was a big reason for his team's zero-zero tie with Uruguay. --He said, quote, "We can't sleep at night because of the vuvuzelas. People start playing them from 6 A.M. We can't hear one another out on the pitch because of them." --For now, they're still allowed at the World Cup. According to Sepp Blatter, who runs the federal soccer association FIFA, getting rid of them would be like "Europeanizing" the tournament. --But the World Cup committee will be meeting again this week, to discuss whether to ban them and save the games. (Yahoo Sports)

NAZZY’S SILLY VIDEOS OF THE DAY

#1.) A GIRL PRANKED HER BOYFRIEND SO HE COULDN'T WATCH THE END OF THE STANLEY CUP:

It looks pretty staged, but there's a prank video of a Flyers fan watching the last game of the Stanley Cup on Wednesday. And right before every shot in the third period, his girlfriend turned the TV off using a remote in the other room. --First the guy got frustrated and started throwing a pillow. Then he started throwing the couch cushions. And finally, he just flipped the whole couch over. (--Search for "Prank vs. Prank Stanley Cup ruined." The prank starts at :28, and he finds out about it at 3:12. Warning: This clip is loaded with bleeped profanity.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t7k-EOpwZw

#2.) ADAM SANDLER AND KEVIN JAMES DID A RIDICULOUS VERSION OF "GENTLEMEN, START YOUR ENGINES" AT A NASCAR RACE:

ADAM SANDLER and KEVIN JAMES were the grand marshals at yesterday's NASCAR race in Michigan. And they did the longest, most ridiculous version of "gentlemen, start your engines" in the history of the sport.(--Search for "Adam Sandler Kevin James gentlemen start your engines.")http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyICKRI1ADM

#3.) HERE'S A PARODY ABOUT THE BP EXECUTIVES SPILLING COFFEE:

The Upright Citizens Brigade sketch-comedy group did a parody about the BP oil executives spilling their coffee, and coming up with stupid ways to clean it up. (--Search for "BP spills coffee.") (--WARNING: There's an F-bomb at 2:31.)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AAa0gd7ClM

#4.) A CAT GOT STUCK IN A WINDOW, AND IT MADE WORLD NEWS?

A cat got wedged between two windows at an apartment in Bucharest, Romania. And people on the street stood there taking pictures until a guy finally climbed up and helped it. (--Search for "cat gets stuck in window." There's no sound in this video. The guy starts climbing up to help the cat at :38.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYrR6Lukxt8

SEVEN LEGAL WAYS TO SELL YOUR BODY:

As we all know, prostitution is illegal in every state but Nevada. But if you're absolutely desperate for money, here are seven LEGAL ways to sell your body . . .

#1.) BLOOD AND BLOOD PLASMA. Blood is one of the easiest ways to sell yourself, but not many hospitals PAY for blood anymore. You can still sell your blood PLASMA though. --Plasma makes up about 50% of your blood. It's the liquid part, and it's actually YELLOW. If you don't like giving blood, you won't like giving plasma either, because it takes an hour and a half. --First they draw your blood, then they separate the red blood cells from the plasma, and then they pump the red stuff back into you. You only get about $35 for it, but if you're desperate, you can donate every two days.

#2.) BLOOD PLATELETS. This one's an even more complicated process. Some cancer treatments kill off blood cells. So patients have to get transfusions to build up their blood cell count. And platelets are five times more effective than regular blood. --It pays about $50, and you can only donate twice a month, so it's not very lucrative. Plus, it takes up to two-and-a-half hours to donate. But hospitals need it. So even if you don't need the money, you should think about donating.

#3.) HAIR. This one's mostly just for women, because the chunk of hair you donate has to be at least 10 inches long. But if you have REALLY good hair, you can make up to $2,000 a donation, or sometimes even more. -The hair has to be "virgin" though, which means it can't be bleached or dyed. And there are a bunch of requirements for storage and shipping. But if you want a short haircut for summer anyway, check out TheHairTrader.com.

#4.) BREAST MILK. There's a website called OnlyTheBreast.com where you can buy and sell breast milk. To give you an idea of how much you can make, a recent post on the site's "discount" section was offering 300 ounces for $100. --It's not legal everywhere, and the Center For Disease Control isn't crazy about it. So if you're actually thinking about selling breast milk OR buying it, do your homework first.

#5.) CLINICAL TRIALS. You can actually make pretty good money as a human guinea pig, depending on what they ask you to do. If you just have to rub some lotion on your arm and see if you react to it, you won't make very much. --But if you're willing to start popping pills without understanding exactly what you're putting into your body, then you can make hundreds or even THOUSANDS of dollars. There's just that HUGE risk of side effects.

#6.) YOUR PRIVATE PARTS. Men and women can both do it. The only difference is, women get paid A LOT more: Sperm banks pay between $50 and $200 per "session." Meanwhile, women sell their eggs for around $10,000 each.

#7.) YOUR CORPSE. According to a recent CNBC article, a single dead body can sell for anywhere between $10,000 and $100,000 depending on how you died and how all the parts are divvied up. (Wise Brother Media)

Microsoft Corporation has launched a website to provide Office Web Apps free online. Many people like working with the suite of products from Microsoft Office, but the hefty price tag can be a deterrent. Office Web Apps will now offer free online access to Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint and Microsoft OneNote. Now users can create, edit, view, and share projects for free via the website. The new version of Word is used inside a web browser. It works on both Windows PCs and Macs, and via the newer versions of the major browsers, including Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari and Chrome. It’s free and it doesn’t require you to have regular Office on your computer.

LIFESTYLES:

It’s Flag Day Today is Flag Day – marking the date in 1777 when John Adams proposed the stars and stripes as the official flag of the United States. One of many ceremonies will be held at Fort McHenry in Baltimore. It was the sight of the flag still flying there after a battle with the British that inspired Francis Scott Key to write a poem, now the words of the national anthem. Flag Day events often center on reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, written by Francis Bellamy, and first recited in public in 1892 by schoolchildren at a Columbus Day ceremony. Betsy Ross was a seamstress who made clothes for George Washington. In June, 1776, Washington approached her to make the country's first flag – and the rest is history. Making flags, banners, and pennants is a $5.5 billion annual business in the U.S., according to the Census Bureau. Here is how you should properly display the flag:

· The flag is normally flown from sunrise to sunset.

· In the morning, raise the flag briskly. At sunset, lower it slowly. Always raise and lower it ceremoniously.

· The flag should not be flown at night without a light on it.

· The flag should not be flown in the rain or inclement weather.

· After a tragedy or death, the flag is flown at half staff for 30 days. It's called "half staff" on land and "half mast" on a ship.

· When flown vertically on a pole, the stars and blue field or "union," is at the top and at the end of the pole, away from your house.

· The American flag is always flown at the top of the pole. Your state flag and other flags

* The union is always on top. When displayed in print, the stars and blue field are always on the left.

· Never let your flag touch the ground, never...period.

· Fold your flag when storing. Don't just stuff it in a drawer or box.

· When your flag is old and has seen better days, it is time to retire it. Old flags should be burned or buried. Please do not throw it in the trash. Your local Boy Scout group knows the proper ceremony to dispose of a flag and performs it on a regular basis. If you have an old flag, give it to them and attend the ceremony.

U.S. CENSUS 2010

As far as most people probably think, the 2010 Census is over, but in fact the count is still going on. The deadline for mailing back census forms was mid-April. While over 70% of American households did so, a significant number failed to return their forms. That’s why census takers are still visiting those households in a continuing effort to achieve a complete census. With all the scams going on these days, it’s important to recognize an official census taker when he or she visits. A census taker will have an official I.D. badge and many will also carry a black bag marked with the words “U.S. Census Bureau.” Census takers will never ask to come into your home, or ask for bank, credit card, or social security numbers. Find out more at www.census.gov._______________________________________________

NO TWEETS IN THE TIMES

New York Times readers who come across the word “tweet” will know they are reading about birds, at least for the foreseeable future. The Times standards editor Phil Corbett laid down the law last week in a memo. “Some social-media fans may disagree, but outside of ornithological contexts, ‘tweet’ has not yet achieved the status of standard English,” Corbett wrote. “And standard English is what we should use in news articles.” Corbett said “tweet,” whether used as a verb for the act of sending a Twitter message or a noun for the message itself, is a colloquialism, a neologism and jargon. The Times tries to avoid words that are any one of those things, let alone all three. But he said the word had popped up 18 times in a single month in the paper. Corbett also wondered if “tweets” have staying power, commenting: “Someday, ‘tweet’ may be as common as ‘e-mail.’ Or another service may elbow Twitter aside next year, and ‘tweet’ may fade into oblivion.” Thankfully we still have radio!

WALK FOR CANINE CANCER

A Boston man who took his two dogs on a cross-country walk to raise awareness of canine cancer says his journey is nearly complete. Luke Robinson, who began the trek to Boston from Austin, Texas, with canine companions Murphy and Hudson in March 2008, crossed into Massachusetts at about 4 p.m. Thursday, after walking more than 2,300 miles. Robinson said the walk is designed to raise awareness of canine cancer after his beloved Great Pyrenees, Malcolm, died of metastatic bone cancer in 2006. Robinson said he’s planning to walk the final mile on June 19th. You can find out more at http://2dogs2000miles.blogspot.com.